Love in a Time of War: Part Three: We Pledge Allegiance
by Gillen1962
Summary: The Battle Rages: One force is defeated and a sacrifice is made. Lucky and Ethan have the Sword. Drew and Jason storm the reactor But are the two pair of brothers heading to a showdown? Alexandria makes her play. Diane has news for Terry. Scotty and Laura make plans. And Valentin plays one last card. The Battle for Malkooth heads towards final conflict


_Love in a Time of War: Part Three: We Pledge Allegiance_

The silence in the cockpit was the loudest noise that Jaspar Jax and Mac Scorpio had ever heard. It meant they were out of fuel. And while they were out of Malkooth Air Space they were still more then thirty air miles from the Cassadine Landing Field.

"Mayday, Mayday, this is Jacks One. Cassadine air Strip please come in."

"Mister Jacks, Sir, this is Alfred at the Cassadine airfield. We were told to expect your Sir…err…over"

Mac smiled and said to Jax. "I thought he was dead."

"Apparently even working for the Cassadine's means you never die." Jax commented then spoke into the radio. "Alfred, we are gliding in, we have no fuel. Our landing gear is locked but we are coming down fast. Over."

"Understood Sir, we have fire extinguishers ready. Over."

"Not sure that would do any good. Over, but thank you Over, what is at the end of the runway."

"A barn Sir, Over."

"We are going to hit it hard in…. less than two minutes."

Mac pointed out the window to the landing strip illuminations. "Are those torches?"

"Looks like it."

Mac and Jax braced themselves as the private aircraft touched down hard. They pulled back on the brakes trying to force a slowing down. The plane skidded then slowly they could feel them selves regaining control.

They taxied the pane within feet of the barn and stopped.

The two men looked at each other.

"Good flying" Mac said to Jax.

"Back at you."

"So now we are guest of the Cassadine's?"

Jax shrugged. "I've been that before. The wine is always excellent."

Mac looked at his fellow Australian and said, "Hell mate, after that landing, they better be getting us some Fosters."

Jason's head hurt. His head always hurt when there was an overload of emotion and information. He had been living with his blown frontal lobes for so long that even those closest to him at long ago forgotten just how painful it was for Jason to deal with emotion and to use emotional intelligence. He had learned a long time ago how uncomfortable it made people to have to deal with his brain damage and so he had learned how to fake normalcy. Yes, he was aloof, and appeared on occasion to be unemotional but truth was he was in nearly constant pain from the overload of emotions of the people around him.

It was one of the main reasons he had recently taken up with Rovena, the woman kept an even keel, though she was on occasion prone to anger, and more importantly kept an easy life. Working joyfully at her new job as manager of Kelly's. Right now, Jason wanted to be no place more then sitting at the counter of Kelly's diner watching her wait on tables and chat with customers.

Instead he was standing next to his twin brother in the Balkan country of Malkooth in the middle of a three-way Civil War. He was here to assist Lucky Spencer and Valentin Cassadine in rescuing various members of their families and friends who had been taken hostage by the warring factions. He had been sent to extract Drew and Scotty Baldwin's daughter Serena, from the Basil Cult a faction led by Basil DeLestrade and apparently Serena's sister Cristina, who now went by the name Livvie. The Basil Cult had been the smallest and weakest of the factions but now he and Drew having assisted them in defeating an advance from the Provisional Democratic forces, which were led by Prime Minister Shukar and truthfully far from democratic, he and Drew were staring at what could only be called unexpected reinforcements.

A Mercenary Army led by his distant cousin the recently unfrozen Alexandria Quartermaine had shown up at the last moment to save he and Drew from what was sure to have been slaughter.

"Would some one like to fill me in?" Drew said as he and Jason slowly moved from behind the barricade towards Alexandria who was now flanked by Basil, Livvie and Serena.

"Of course, Cousin" Said Alexandria

Drew held up his hand. "No disrespect lady, and I do appreciate the last minute save, but I have not forgotten that a few months ago you were allied with David Gray and tried to have me killed in France."

"Gray worked for me, we were not allying" Alexandria said sweetly, which for some reason made the hairs on Jason's arm stand up. "But your point is taken."

"Honey?" Drew said to Serena

"First things first Seal" She said and then kissed him. "Now, this, well this is the old politics makes strange bedfellows thing."

Lucky Spencer was thankful he had been born on Mariah Cummings' ranch in Mexico, he had been riding since he could walk, so having stolen a horse from one of the men in the odd caravan of supporters of David Gray and the monarchy as they marched towards a final confrontation with the troops of the Provisional Government at Reactor One, he had easily ridden to the front of the line, past the trucks and jeeps and back to the back of the train several times.

He was particularly interested in the lead jeep which held his mission objective David Gray, the would be King of Malkooth and the third flatbed truck on which rode his brother Ethan, his WSB partner Annie Donnelly, his former lover Sam McCall and Ethan's cousin the con man Sinclair Dunbar.

He was using a scarf to cover his face as many of the riders were to protect from the dust, so his friends had not recognized him.

He quickly calculated his options. The WSB Mission Objective was to capture David Gray and return him to the United States, technically as an agent that was what Lucky was supposed to do even over saving his friends and family. But Lucky as he rode once again towards the front of the line was trying to figure a way to do both.

His mental formation of a plan was shoved aside however as the caravan rounded a curve and reactor one came into sight. Lucky took a pair of high-powered binoculars from his pocket and scoped.

"Damn" He thought. This was not going to be a battle this was going to be a slaughter. The caravan supporting the monarchy had light armaments, some artillery rifles and two mortars but the forces of the Provisional Government had tanks, anti-aircraft weapons, and basically enough rounds to wipe out the Monarchy assault without so much as breaking a sweat.

In the front jeep David Gary rode standing in the back holding onto the road bar with the Sword of Iskandar held high over his head.

Lucky had spent the trip over to Malkooth reading up on the sword in the classified WSB files. The sword was a near mythic object forged by Iskandar himself. Iskandar was of course Alexander the Great, and the sword was apparently the only one he had ever hand forged. Iskandar's father had been a Macedonian not a Greek as most people were taught erroneously in school and his mother an Illyrian. This region between the coast of Albania, the foothills of Kosovar and the plains of Malkooth held the last descendants of the Illyrian people. The Malkooth royal family, were direct descendants of Iskandar

Lucky also knew that the Cassadines, of which there were three in country at the moment, Molly, held by the Provisionals, Valentin who Lucky had sent to try to find a diplomatic solution to this whole mess and Sam who rode fifty yards behind him were all related to the Royal family via Mikkos Cassadines mother.

The saying was that only a member of the royal family could wield the sword, that of course had been proven false as the sword had passed through many hands in the years since it had vanished from here in Malkooth at the death of the former King Eric,

Lucky had read the legend in the original ancient Greek, and curse his mentor Robert Scorpio for insisting he learn to read ancient Greek, and the legend was much more specific, The sword could not be wielded in Battle by any but a member of the royal family. Absent an attack then any one could lift the sword

Lucky suddenly turned his horse and spurred it to the back of the caravan. No one but a royal could wield it in Battle said the legend. But his father Luke Spencer had wielded it in battle against Gray himself.

If Lucky could get the sword away from Gray, he may be able to rattle these people enough that they would flee. And right now, flee was there only chance. At the back of the caravan he took out his binoculars once more. They were less then half a mile till they would be in range of the mortars of the provisional government. He expected that the Provisionals would wait till they were even closer in order to cause the most damage. He rode swiftly behind another rider and shoved him hard off his horse catching the reins as the rider fell. He raced along the side of Caravan, one horse underneath him and one tethered to his hand.

In the flat bed of the truck Sam McCall looking down the rode with her own binoculars called out. "Ethan, we need to get them to stop. Look at this"

Ethan nodded at Annie who got up and took the binoculars. Sam looked at her and then at Ethan.

"Annie is the WSB Agent" He snapped. "I'm just a civilian like you. We run her play."

"Damn it to Glasgow." Annie yelled. She began banging on the back of the driver's cab. "We got like a half a mile boyo" She yelled back to Ethan.

He and Sinclair jumped up and joined the two women as they pounded on the cab.

"Ahh damn it" Annie said as she hoisted herself up on top of the driver's cab and began to inch forward.

Lucky raced the horses alongside the truck. As the first mortar flew overhead and landed behind the caravan, their first and he assumed only warning shot.

"Ethan." He yelled. Coming along side. "Jump."

"The others" His brother yelled back not at all surprised that Lucky had finally shown up.

"Looks like Annie got this. You and I need to get Gray. I'll explain later."

Lucky paced the truck and Ethan, not half the rider Lucky was leapt barely grabbing the horses main and pulling himself up.

"HiHo Silver" Shouted Lucky and he and Ethan spurred their horses forward. Annie had reached the window she slipped down standing on the floorboards and leaned in the opened window. "You need to get this crate over the road and hope to God the rest of these idiots follow us."

"What?" The driver said. Annie swung the door open reached in and pulled the driver out he tumbled into the side of the road as she yelled sorry about that.

She held the steering wheel in one hand. As she tried to pull herself in. The trooper in the passenger seat began to push her out when suddenly his door flew open and a hand pulled his collar and tossed him to the roadside.

Sam McCall pulled herself into the passenger seat and Annie Donnelly took the steering wheel.

"Not bad EMO"

Sam smiled.

"And such a pretty smile." Said Annie "You bi?"

"Will you get us off this damn road."

Annie jerked the wheel as Sinclair rolled in the flat bed and moaned loudly. "Ladies my face"

A bullet whizzed over Lucky's head. From behind he noted, which meant Gray's men were now shooting at them. Good he thought that meant one or two trucks would follow Annie off road. Lucky reached the front jeep and leapt from his horse tackling Gray as the first mortar landed thirty yards in front of them.

The sword flew from Gray's hand and he and Lucky tumbled into the grass. The older man gasped for air as they hit.

Ethan and another rider were making a run for the sword. The other rider jumped off and scrambled in the grass to lift the sword.

If Ethan Lovett and Lucky Spencer lived to be old men sitting on the dock of Key West watching the sunset, they would never forget what happened next. The rider bent to pick up the sword as Ethan dismounted and he couldn't.

Lucky, Ethan and David Gray watched as the rider tried in vain to lift the sword.

"It can only be lifted by a member of the royal family of Malkooth. The battle is on us and these people need their king. Release me Eldest Child of my Greatest Foe." Gray yelled.

Ethan leapt at the man knocking him out with one punch. Lucky heard the mortar fly overhead and turned to watch it land just feet from the truck, obliterating one of the smaller jeeps behind it.

Ethan bent.

And the world froze.

He lifted the sword.

"That is impossible." Screamed Gray

Ethan looked at Lucky. "You are more King then me brother."

He tossed the sword lightly to Lucky who caught it and held it over his head. Around him several riders on horseback had pulled up.

"Flee. Break the Caravan. Flee" Yelled Lucky. "Retreat spread the word."

Annie had pulled the truck off road as a mortar landed next to it. She leapt out. Sam right behind her. Sinclair stumbled out the back of the flat bed.

They began running for the tree line along with the bulk of the Monarchy's army. A mortar whizzed by.

Annie never heard it. You never hear the ones that get you. She felt her body shoved forward.

She landed thirty yards later. She tried to stand. Her ankle. Damn she could not put any weight on it. She forced herself up limping in pain.

Sam lay kneeling in the field. Mortars flying over her. Annie raced up next to her falling to the ground "Are you alright EMO? Sam!"

"He pushed me out of the way. It….it would have landed right on me…he shoved me…."

Annie looked down. Sinclair Dunbar lay on the grass, a shattered, dying mess. "Scurvy" She yelled

Sam looked down on him "Why why would you do that?"

"You're pretty. I've always been a sucker for a pretty girl."

As the peasant army fled around them Annie and Sam sat looking at Sinclair. There was nothing they could do to help him.

Ethan rode up. "Lucky is up front with the sword. He's is getting people running. He's got Gray."

He looked down at his cousin. "Ahh Sinclair, man."

Ethan jumped off the horse and knelt by his cousin. Sinclair held his hand out and Ethan took it. "Your Mother was always the best of us, best con and best person." He choked. "Would she be proud of me this time cousin?"

Blood trickled from Sinclair's lip.

"Yeah she'd be proud. "

"He shoved me out of the way" Sam said. "Why"

Sinclair reached his other hand up and Sam took it. "Samantha, I need you to promise me something"

"Sure."

"Live. "He said. "Things will get hard; things may get dangerous. But you are too pretty not to smile. Too brilliant to hide in black. Live. Just go out and live. Take your kids and jump in the lake. Watch a sunset. Just bloody live."

Sam nodded.

Sinclair looked at Ethan. "Tell Uncle Alastair I will see him in hell. And I'll be running the place when he gets there."

Lucky arrived on the scene, around him Gray's army continued to run. David Gray sat silently in the back of the jeep trying to figure how this all went so wrong.

"Folks we need to move." Lucky said sadly as a mortar landed just feet from them.

Sam began to pull at Sinclair's body. Ethan put his hand on her. "We'll get him later Sam, I promise."

Lucky stood admit the flying mortars hoping not to end up like Sinclair. He held the Sword of Iskandar over his head and kept yelling retreat in English and Greek.

Ethan grabbed his arm and pointed to the tree line. The brothers bolted. Ethan dragging a stunned David Gray with them.

Hunkered down behind the trees Annie said. "So, what now?"

Mayor Laura Webber came out of Kelly's diner, Colonel Roger Nelson of nearby Fort Drum and Congressman Joe Kelly right at her heels. She went over to her former daughter-in-law Hayden Barnes and said. "Lulu? You have made contact with Lulu?"

Hayden nodded and pointed to a hastily erected screen near the Police Command vehicle. "Yes, but she is clearly being monitored."

"What do you mean?" Laura asked.

"She is broadcasting like a news reporter. She is only answering questions concerning the action right there on the ground and then only in terms that show the Provisionals in a good light."

"So, no news on location?"

"Oh, that we have" Said Jordan Ashford the head of the PCPD Cyber Unit. "And we patched it to Director Jones at the WSB, and hopefully he will get it to Lucky and the others. "

"Where is she?" Laura asked.

"On the observation platform of reactor one, in Malkooth, it seems to be the point where the three armies are gathering. Though we are getting news that the forces of the Monarchy may have been annihilated."

Alexis Davis who had come out of the diner with her daughter Kristina said flatly. "Those are the forces that were holding Sam."

She sobbed and shook her head.

"And she is with Ethan and Annie" Laura said. "She could not be with anyone better to keep her safe."

"Jason" snapped Kristina. "Jason. If Molly had not destroyed all our lives. If this waitress here had not stolen Jason away, she would be with Jason and be safe."

"Kristina" Alexis said. "At this moment everyone is doing their best to bring everyone home."

"But no one has asked Daddy, and he is the one who could help the most."

"I am not sure what your father could do dear."

"Well I am going to find out" Kristina said as she stomped away.

Alexis watched her march off. "She is just worried" She said sheepishly to the others.

"Everyone is worried Alexis" Laura said

"Explain to me Prince Valentin" Said Prime Minister Shukar of the Provisional Government. "How are you the owner of the reactors?"

Valentin sat back in the large office chair. Behind him his niece Molly and protégé Peter August sat at the edge of the couch also anxious to know how the reactors which were listed as owned by Peter were some how his.

Valentin's mission was to try to bring Molly, Peter and Lulu home from. Lulu for now was out of his range but he was playing an ace he had kept to get Molly and Peter released.

"it is very simple. Mr. August was used as a front for the ownership. If you allow me, I will have my office Fax over the actual paperwork. The reactors were built by my late Uncle Anthony in the hey day of nuclear power. When he died, without any heirs his estate passed to his elder brother Mikkos and even though Mikkos died just days later, all of Anthony's holdings were then folded into the Cassadine Family Trust. At some point while I was in exile Helena who controlled that portion of the family money arranged for the fund from the reactor to be available to Peter's father Cesar Fasion. For his own reasons Fasion had the dummy ownership put in Peter's name,"

"And you knew this?' asked Peter.

"Only recently I assure you." Valentin said. "When the families royal titles were conferred the additional paperwork showed holdings, I was not aware of. The reactors among them."

"But they are not part of the Mikkos' trust?" Molly asked.

"No Molly, they came into my possession as the heir to Anthony. They are part of his will." Valentin said.

"And my will is that they belong to the people of Malkooth." Declared Shukar.

"it would be my pleasure to turn them over to you in exchange for our freedom" Valentin said with a smile.

"Take our guests to my personal transport vehicle." Shukar said to the guards. "I will join you shortly. Prince Valentin will declare the royalty dead and sign over the reactor to us at the sight of the glorious people's victory at reactor one."

As The trio were led away Valentin leaned into Molly and said. "Well at least my diplomacy got us out of the office."

Lucky's cell phone buzzed.

"Your cell phone works?" Sam asked.

"Satellite cell with the newest technology" Lucky said as he answered. "Yep."

A moment later he hung up, "The provisional army and the Basil Cult are headed towards a final battle over the hill there at reactor one" He looked at Ethan "Some how Lulu is there doing a live TV broadcast."

"Well good for her" Ethan said with a smile. "So?"

Lucky smiled. "Annie take the jeep, Sam and the babbling former King there" He pointed at Gray who kept mumbling about the Sons of his Greatest Enemy wielding the Sword. "And Head towards the coast. It is about five miles west."

Lucky fished in his pocket. "When you get there hit this. Global GPS will pick you up and your rescue should be at the shoreline shortly."

He Handed the small device to Annie.

"Hell no" She said, "I want in on the end of this."

"Sorry Partner. Your ankle is shot. Sam is a civilian and the mission objective is getting Gray out of Malkooth."

Annie scoffed. "I hate it when you pull rank."

"Wait a minute Molly is still here." Sam said

"Valentin is getting her." Lucky said.

"You want me to trust my sister to Valentin Cassadine?"

"Truthfully Sam, I can't think of a better person to trust with your sister." Lucky said

"Speaking of Sisters?" Ethan said with a smile.

Lucky held up his hand. "Sam. Trust me. Jason and Drew are both in country. I and Ethan will be here. And Valentin for reasons that I do not understand and have no intention of even questioning, loves Molly. We will bring her home. Meanwhile Danny and Scout need you.

Sam began to object but Annie took her arm. "Come on EMO, I'll even let you drive, since I am not sure I could brake with this foot."

The two women began to lead Gray to the jeep.

"And Sinclair?" Sam asked.

"Go do what he told you Sam. Go live. We'll take care of the dead." Ethan said.

The Ethan turned to Lucky and said. "And sister Lulu."

Lucky handed Ethan the reigns to one of the horses "Oh come on, you can't tell me that as a little girl she didn't fantasize about her two handsome brothers riding in on horseback to save her."

As they mounted up Ethan laughed. "Yeah but the handsome brothers are Nicholas and I." Then he spurred the horse away.

Lucky gave one more thumbs up sign to Annie. Strapped the Sword of Iskandar to his back and rode after Ethan.

In the back of a troop transport vehicle Drew looked at Serena and said. "So, are we trusting these looney toons?"

"You mean your cousin and my sister." Serena said.

"We are going to this reactor. Sam may be there" Jason said flatly.

"I agree with that Jason, but there is no way that Alexandria Quartermaine came to Malkooth with mercenary troops and weapons simply to support the Basil Cult"

"No Seal," Serena agreed. "I am sure she didn't, but Jason is right, the rest of the hostages are likely at Reactor One. We know Lulu is. She is broadcasting from there."

Drew did not say anything he just looked at her hard.

"I don't like Lulu, but I am a Captain in the United States Army, Seal and she is a US Citizen in danger. I have an oath." Serena said

"And I have your back." Drew said.

He slapped a hand on Jason's shoulder and said, "And it looks like my brother has mine."

Jason nodded. All he was focused on was rescuing Sam. He knew Drew felt the same way. Both men had married and loved her. But Drew was able to understand loving more than one person at a time. He could be here and be with Serena and be worried about Sam all at once. Jason did not have the luxury of multi emotions. Right now, all he could do was focus on rescuing Sam. When he returned to Port Charles, he would be with Rovena. Everything in his life was a compartment. He wondered how other people did not end up with massive headaches.

Scott Baldwin walked over and handed Laura Collins a cup of coffee. The Mayor had remained outside studying her daughter on the screen listening to every word she spoke every phrase she exchanged with Dillon here in Port Charles hoping for a hint as to how she and the others were.

"When they get home, I say we break their legs so they can't go anywhere for a while." Scott said.

"Ha, have you forgotten the summer while we were in France that Serena did break her leg and what a demanding little thing she turned into." Laura said laughing.

"I remember you finally called Lucy and Kevin and they took her Disneyland Paris for three days so I could get a break." Scott said.

"Kevin is going to blame himself so much for Livvie." Laura said.

"ah, we all had a hand in how bad that went. But what are you supposed to do when your kid comes home with their teeth shaved down to fangs?"

The Mayor smiled. "I freaked out when Lucky came home from a camping trip with his ear pierced."

"Yeah but that was Luke and Sonny Corinthos in the woods. I would have freaked out too. I mean Sonny in the woods?"

Laura laughed. "Did Brooke leave?"

"She said she would be back. She went to check on Jenny Hutchinson. I guess Jenny is staying with her or something."

"I am glad you to are speaking Scotty, I am "Laura said

"I hear a but, there kid."

"But, if Anna and Soumia are correct then Alexandria is using the memory technology to get something from my head, via Jennifer."

"And Brooke is connected to Jennifer." Scott said. "Which means that she is connected to Alexandria and your kidnapping."

Laura did not like that her old friend looked so sad.

Laura thought for a moment. "Hey when the kids are home and safe. How about a Laura and Scott adventure?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I need to go to a mayor's conference in Manhattan the first weekend in November. As far as we know Hutch is down in the city."

"You think he will talk to us about Jenny? He has refused to speak to the WSB." Scott said.

"The man is sick, maybe dying and he was my friend."

"Kevin won't get jealous if I steal his wife for a weekend in New York."

Laura laughed. "Kevin knows full well who his wife loves."

"He is lucky to have you." Scott said sadly,

"There is someone out there for you too Scott, you just need to see the tree through the forest."

"Dr. Randolph?" Diane Miller called down a long hall on the 3rd floor of General Hospital.

Terry turned around and said. "Yes, can I help you."

Diane smiled at the tall woman who looked exhausted. "I was hoping I could speak to you for a moment about a legal matter, I'm Diane Miller of Baldwin, Davis, Miller and Baldwin the attorneys for the Hospital."

"Is there a problem?" Terry asked. She was dead on her feet. She had not slept since her return from New Orleans and was only here at the hospital because several of her poor little patients needed immediate decisions concerning their health.

Diane sucked the inside of her cheek. "I am truthfully not sure. But I do know that you and General Hospital are about to be hit with the most outlandish law suit I have ever seen."

The transport truck carrying Drew, Serena and Jason came to a stop and the three hopped out of the back. Drew let out a low whistle. Reactor One loomed at the far end of an open field. More than a dozen figures can be seen standing on a platform near the middle of one of the cooling towers and there are others moving up the field.

The Basil Cult forces despite the influx of arms from Alexandria and her mercenaries are still outnumbered.

Serena shook her head and moved towards the lead car. She grabbed her sister by the arm. "Livvie we need to pull back. Their numbers are superior. We fight we lose."

"Not if we get the sword and take that tower."

A mortar flew toward the front of the line.

"They can't reach us; they will need to move to get to us." Basil DeLestrade said.

"But if they do, they come in our range as well. We may be able to set up a perimeter and hold them back just a bit." Drew said. "But not for long."

"It does not need to be for long" Said Alexandria. "We need the Sword and then their troops will rally to us."

"Well we don't have the Sword." Jason said. "Any other ideas?"

Serena took a pair of binoculars from Livvie and focused on the tower. "Alexandria is right we need that tower. That's Lulu up there looks like she is broadcasting"

Serena handed the binoculars to Drew who focused on the people climbing the ladder up the tower. "That is Valentin and Molly. And looks like from the picture I saw the provisional Prime Minister heading to the platform."

"How do we get to the Tower?" Basil said.

"How long to circle a small unit around the back?" Drew asked.

Basil pulled up his GPS and pointed to a route. "If you take one of the jeeps and cut through here. You can come around the back, but it won't work they will cut you off here on the far edge. The certainly have that road blocked,"

"If we get past that road, we'd be at the tower in under ten minutes. "Drew said.

"It's Dusk, once you get past the road, you should be able to sneak on in." Basil said.

"Two jeeps" Said Drew. "One full barrel Rambo style machine rounds firing as it hits the blockade. The other pulls off road right out of sight, that one carries our tower ninjas."

"Tower Ninjas?" Serena said.

"I got the jeep with the gun" Jason said.

"No" Drew said. "Better if I do that. I have the training. I just may be able to get out of it. "

"I will ride with you" said Livvie.

"No" Said Basil

Livvie held his arm. "No, my love think, if we can distract the blockade and give the second jeep a chance to move, then if worse comes to worse Drew and I can surrender. They will not kill the second in command of the movement lightly."

"If we don't get killed rushing in." Drew commented.

Alexandria had had enough talking. She was not use to people debating courses of action. She made the course. "Enough. Jason and Serena in the second jeep. Your mission is the tower and the royals who are up there. Valentin and Molly. I could care less if you save Lulu or not. But we need the Cassadines once we have the sword."

"Now wait a minute" Drew said.

"No Cousin I will not this is not a debate society; this is a war."

She looked at Basil who nodded and said. "Drew and Livvie in the lead jeep. Get out of there as quickly as you can."

"And how does this lead to the sword?" Serena asked.

"That Captain Baldwin I have not figured out yet. Now go" Alexandria commanded.

Dillon Quartermaine was on what he assumed was his three hundredth cup of coffee. He was watching Lulu on the screen. She too looked exhausted. He turned to get back on camera and spell her for a moment.

"Excuse me, Dillon Quartermaine?"

Dillon turned to see a middle age man of some considerable height and weight "Yes"

"I am state Senator Charlie Holt. I would like to address your viewers."

Dillon noted that Holt was accompanied by several people one of them holding up their cell phone to record what was being said.

"I am sorry Senator, we are not doing any side bars, even Mayor Webber has not been on other than for press briefings."

"So, you are denying me access to the people."

"No sir, the major networks are here, lined up and down the docks. You are a candidate for Governor, they will be happy to talk to you. We are sticking to Lulu's feed and nothing else."

"This is because of my family is it not?" Holt shouted.

Playing for his own camera Dillon thought, but he was far too tired and stressed to care.

"I have no idea who your family is, Sir"

"Yet we are cousins, your cousin from your Grandfather."

"You want to discuss family history talk to Ned, he's the family gatekeeper. All I am telling you is that I am not interviewing you."

"Because of who I am." Holt declared as he and his people walked away.

Dillon did not need a degree in Media Communications to know how that was going to play on social media.

"Dillon" Yelled Hayden

He turned back to the monitor. Behind Lulu very clearly, he could see Peter August and the two Cassadines. Lulu had the guy with the cell phone feed move the video over the tower.

The oppositions troops could be seen on the far side of an expansive field.

This battle was about to start.

"Hey" He said to Hayden. "What is that?"

He pointed to two small spots on the edge of the field between the two armies.

"Looks like people on horseback." Hayden said.

Dillon took the headpiece and spoke directly to Lulu

"Lulu, see if your camera guy can focus on the two figures in the middle of the field between the armies."

Prime Minister Shukar was pleased with himself. He was on the verge of a great victory. His men had routed the forces of the Monarchy and it was only a matter of time before the Sword, which he assumed the fleeing David Gray had lost would be found, brought to him and then destroyed in full view of these peasants.

The forces of the Basil Cult, despite reinforcement from somewhere were now in a position for him to crush them like the bugs they were and always would be.

Then as a final coup Valentin Cassadine would give him, control of the reactors and he could use the funds from that to get the Russians off his back.

"Sir' His second in Command said hesitantly to him.

"What? Ormand what?"

The man handed him a pair of binoculars and pointed to the field.

Shukar looked out across the meadow below him. Dead center were two riders on horse back riding up and down the opposing lines. And what was that one of them was waving.

Drew looked at Livvie and said, "Gun it" The jeep whipped around the corner Drew firing the gun as they came to the road block. The men watching were taken by surprised.

Behind him he knew that the Jeep carrying Serena and Jason had verged off road and was heading towards the towers. He felt the heat of the bullets as they whizzed by him.

"Damn" He said as he spotted the grenade flying in the air.

"Brake" he yelled to Livvie. She did nearly in time the grenade exploded directly in front of the jeep. The vehicle went up and over. Drew was thrown out and landed hard on the roadside.

His head buzzed and his eyes were having hard time focusing. "Livvie" he said.

Suddenly there was a gun in front of his face. "You are a prisoner of the People's Provisional Government of Malkooth." The Soldier holding the weapon said in broken English.

Drew slowly got to his feet. He noticed a battered Livvie doing the same.

He kept exchanging one hostage situation for another he thought.

"By all the Unholy Powers of the Night" Yelled Basil DeLestrade.

"What?" Said Alexandria Quartermaine. Her would be ally handed her a pair of binoculars. He pointed and said, "The Riders."

'Well, well" Said Alexandria.

In the middle of the field waving the Sword of Iskandar above their heads were Ethan Lovett and Lucky Spencer.

On the tower Shukar said. "Send everyone we have. I want that Sword."

Standing next to Basil. Alexandria Quartermaine hissed. "Get me that damn sword no matter what you have to do."


End file.
